“Kings And Queens / Knaves And Thieves… is the latest entry into what appears to be their next trilogy of perfect albums — their dark and epic ”The Empire Strikes Back” if you will. Beneath the shimmering guitars, earworm hooks, and David Schelzel’s dreamy, lovelorn, and lamentful croon, are beautiful stories, abstract visions, easter eggs to previous albums, and eloquent social commentary.”

“The Ocean Blue’s seventh album Kings And Queens / Knaves And Thieves…efficiently co-opts the lush and airy artiness of Britpop’s more lavish leanings without sounding dated or redundant. Like much of the rest of the album, the title track “Kings And Queens” demonstrates the Ocean Blue’s continued proficiency as expert assimilators of all things strummy, Anglophilic and slightly world-weary. ”

“[H]ere they sound like masters of the genre. Cuts like “Love Doesn’t Make It Easy on Us” and “Therein Lies the Problem with My Life,” are immediately memorable anthems that make the whole notion of emulating your idols while somehow retaining your own style, sound deceptively easy... However, it’s the title track, with its shimmering synth-and-guitar backdrop and poetic ruminations on the fragility of life and the state of the world, that best represent how The Ocean Blue have updated their early teenage pop ennui, ably shifting forward for fans who’ve grown into middle age right along with them.”

“‘All The Way Blue’ is a continuation of the yearning nostalgic pop that makes them so instantaneously beatific. With sublime piano, hyper-melodic guitars, neon synths, melodramatic lyrics and understated vocals, The Ocean Blue achieve emotional potency without any bombast.”

“All The Way Blue”

“It Takes So Long”

“When indie pop darlings The Ocean Blue returned in 2013 with their excellent album Ultramarine it heralded a second chapter for the band. We’re happy to report that their new album finds them crafting the same brand of delicately nuanced indie pop you’ve come to love from them, featuring crystalline guitars, glimmering piano lines, and David Schelzel’s yearning vocals.”

“It’s fresh but also sounds like beautiful, vintage Ocean Blue.”

“Ultramarine isn’t just a return to form; it’s one of The Ocean Blue’s best albums.”

“The 12 songs on Ultramarine recall the sincere clarity of the band’s self-titled 1989 debut and 1991’s Cerulean with songs that soar with grace, blend cascading guitars and rich keyboards with lyrics that manage to evoke sentimentality, optimism and an appropriate romantic longing without being cloying or grating.”

“The band’s signature sound — jazzy, atmospheric pop — has aged nicely, as has frontman David Schelzel’s voice....The record is a nice return and the band’s signature, dreamy/melodic sound still plays well in 2013.”

“Ultramarine (four and 1/2 stars out of five) is a true return to form for fans of their two biggest albums while providing a perfect entry point for fans of heartbreakingly gorgeous, shimmering guitar pop…”